1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to systems for delivering drugs and fluids to patients intravenously. More particularly, the present invention relates to a control system for an automated intravenous drug and fluid infusion system.
2. State of the Art
It is well known to use volumetric infusion pumping systems for delivering drugs to patients intravenously. Infusion pumping systems of conventional design have several significant drawbacks that limit their effectiveness. For example, manual entry via keys and knobs is required whenever a drug supply container is connected or replaced in the pumping system. Further, conventional pumping systems require manual identification of drugs and manual priming of pumping channels.
The foregoing manual procedures are time consuming, labor-intensive and susceptible to error. Because there is no procedure for identifying and approving use of a drug in an infusion pumping system, successive use of different drugs in the same delivery line can occur, resulting in drug contamination. Further, the lack of drug identification can result in the mixing of incompatible drugs from plural drug channels.